The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-09-29
WESTERN LIFE
As Observed by a Highland
County Boy.
A Graphic Description of Front
Ter Society, People, Etc.


bOmo person ul6gubCeu WIFI OnlO ana
Highland county answer my letter and
make fun of my ignorance in thinking
Ohio the United States.
1 believe letter wrote to the News
HERALD in reference to prohibition and
Kansas was answered, and now that
I have had, chance to see more of the
West and Western life, feel that I can
write better letter. I generally see all
that can when I have vacation, and
I think I been repaid for being 30 in.
quisitive during my last vacation. Per-
haps society, as the term is generally un-
derstood, is worth passing notice, tho
the presumption is fair one that the
tourist comes West to escape society,
whose requirements are at times op-
pressive. However, Western ideas are
different. The result is that society,
while in no sense crude, is formal enough
and is select without snobbishness. It
embraces the same varieties of people
with whom you are accustomed to asso-
ciate. The stories told about boorish
millionaires who suddenly find them.
selves its lions are fiction.
Wealth is no more worshiped at the
Rocky Mountains than at the Atlantic
Coast. In fashionable circles there are
balls and receptions-indeed the whole
round of amusements. But attention is
paid to these matters by comparatively
few. People are too busy and practical.
Either they are active in business or
they are after health. The invalid can
not dance into robustness. But it is in
the mountains where there is no society,
or at the quiet watering places where
there is bathing and boating, that the
weak become strong. The larger West
ern cities are strongly cosmopolitan,
having representatives from every part
of the globe. You surmise this before
ever seeing them, from the mixed stream
of humanity that passes through this city
Westward bound. You will find the
tourist who has been around the world
and grown more arrogant with every
advance the tourist who has profited
by what he has seen the jolly tourist
and the crusty; the strong and the del
icate. In moving about you meet them
in all sorts of places. 1t may be you
exchange salutations at hotel or thea
ter, and greet each other next day on
the summit Of Gray's Peak or ON that
peak II, AL feet high. You become &C.
quainted and exchange greetings while
later in some mine. Such are the West.
ern ups and downs-up on the noun.
tain, down in the mine. There is one
factor-pathetic and pitiful-the man
once prospered and honored, who has
fallen in fortune and repute and drifted
West to hide his tarnished name.
Strange are the histories that might be
unearthed bearing upon this. Sorry
would be the tale of the blighted home
and character that might be told of more
than few. Many of these wanderers
have persisted with their identity still
hidden. Others have gone into the wilds
and seemed to come out new men
names and all. A few have rally devel.
oped into desperadoes, have died sud
denly and have given the dime novelist
an opportunity which in no way has
been neglected. There are two classes
of people belonging distinctively to the
West-cowboys and prospectors. Cow
boys have come to be considered typic'
ally "bad men," They do not deserve
the reputation as a whole, though they
are brave, dashing fellows who delight
in wicked.looking hats, heavily braided
with gold, and heavily armed with six
shooters. There is no horse too vicious
for them to ride; no steer who can es
cape their lasso; no whisky so biting a
to scare them. Often from the effect.
of the latter they reel on foot, but in the
saddle they sit steady. He will shoo
lights out of saloon, or make frest
"tenderfoot" dance and sing, convincing
him with q revolver that the song ant
dance would be acceptable. But tn,
same cowboy would fight in defense o
the weak, and might kill q man whom
he saw insult q woman. Among thu
cowboy element there is sprinklinR O
the criminal element perhaps, but if q
it is small. They do not lead this lif'
to escape justice, but because it is will,
and free and it suits them. Often mel
of education are found among them, bu
after a certain term of service they d.
not care to change their occupation
The early spring "rounds up" of cattl'
show the cowboy in all his glory.
Prospectors draw recruits from al
ranks in life. Every stratum of societ,
is represented among them. The col
lege graduate tolls with q pick in hi
blistering hands; the man who ID a
home in any capital in Europe may b.
working the next claim. They worl
only season, or perhaps years, befor
their labor is rewarded. There is tn
grissled old prospector full of the yarn
Of "49," or more likely "59." Tn
"49ers" have mostly gone to their lon
homes, leaving only scattered member
J to recount their deeds, and these scat
tered members do nobly in that direc
ton. If their achievements and thos